Picture Services Network, Inc. (PSN) today announced the selection of Systinet Corporation to provide its Universal Description, Discovery and Integration (UDDI) registry for the PSN Directory Service. The PSN Directory Service provides a cost-effective means for any camera manufacturer, photofinishing company, or online photo service to make it easy for their customers to find, access or use digital photography services.

Systinet will support imaging giants Agfa-Gevaert AG, Eastman Kodak Company, Hewlett-Packard Company and Silverwire, Inc. as a key vendor in bringing PSN to life, which will soon make using Internet-based photo services easier than ever for consumers and businesses. In a related announcement, PSN, a not-for-profit subsidiary of the International Imaging Industry Association (I3A), also named Patrick Gaglione as its Chief Operating Officer. Gaglione will be responsible for the deployment and ongoing operations, support and financial management of PSN's Directory Service and will report to Lisa Walker, president of PSN.

"The timing is right for PSN to help advance the fastest growing segment of the photo industry," said Pat Gaglione, COO, PSN. "Adding Systinet as our Web services vendor brings us that much closer to launching the network. I'm very excited about the benefits this initiative will bring to the entire imaging industry."

PSN chose Systinet because the Web services infrastructure company provides a platform-independent solution that is easy to customize, offers exceptional performance, and meets all the latest Web services standards. Photography and imaging services companies will use PSN's UDDI registry to promote their services; while application and camera vendors with Common Picture Exchange Environment (CPXe) compliant applications will use it to enable their customers to search and discover suppliers by location or other characteristics, and then seamlessly upload digital images and purchase prints or other products.

"We're very pleased to be working with PSN and we're excited that our UDDI registry will be the cornerstone technology of this important initiative," said Roman Stanek, CEO, Systinet. "The PSN is a unique example of Web services providing real benefits to businesses and their customers and it's an indication of how pervasive this technology will become."

PSN was formed to provide the industry with a cost effective way to expand its market reach and deliver innovative products and services to a rapidly expanding worldwide base of digital camera owners - regardless of the camera's brand or where it was purchased. Designed to simplify the process of finding and using Internet-connected and retail photo services, PSN is scheduled to launch its Directory Service in late June 2003. PSN will work in concert with the Common Picture eXchange Environment specifications released by I3A in February, enabling participating businesses to quickly, easily and dynamically find and transact business with any photo Web service that supports the CPXe interoperability specifications.

CPXe is providing the industry with an extensible and open technology framework on which any imaging device can seamlessly exchange digital images and order and commerce information with any networked imaging application or service, regardless of manufacturer, service provider or geography. The combined impact of CPXe specifications and the PSN Directory Service will greatly simplify for businesses and their customers the process of finding and using Internet-connected and retail photo services.

"The selection of Systinet demonstrates that PSN and the International Imaging Industry Association (I3A) are committed and moving quickly towards implementing the private, UDDI-based Directory Service that is core to CPXe's Web Services based architecture," said Lisa Walker, president, International Imaging Industry Association and PSN. "This leading Web Services vendor will help ensure that PSN delivers on its promise of providing first-rate, global directory services to the digital photography industry."

About Picture Services Network (PSN)

A private, UDDI-based directory of Internet-connected photographic services, the PSN Directory Service will allow businesses to quickly, easily and dynamically find and transact business with CPXe compliant Web Services. A Web service itself, the PSN Directory Service serves as a repository for information about participating services and providers. After registering with PSN, Web service listings may be accessed by client applications that wish to use them. Client applications connect to the Directory Service via a standard API to discover and then interact with available services regardless of the service's geographic location.

PSN participation is open to any company, large or small. Companies that will benefit from the new Directory Service include photo-enabled device manufacturers; photo-enabled Web sites and portals; independent software vendors; traditional and non-traditional photo retailers; online photofinishers; and photofinishing system integrators.

As a not-for-profit subsidiary of I3A, PSN was formed to provide participants with a cost effective way to expand their market reach and deliver innovative products and services to a rapidly expanding worldwide base of digital camera owners - regardless of the camera's brand or where it was purchased. The not-for-profit nature of PSN will help ensure that participation costs are minimized and reasonable.

With commercial service availability targeted for the end of June 2003, the PSN Directory Service will open the gateway for CPXe adopters, through their compliant applications and services, to allow consumers to quickly locate services and providers using familiar search criteria including but not limited to zip code or desired product type.

CPXe is an International Imaging Industry Association (I3A) initiative group of companies working together to provide more opportunities for consumers to enjoy their digital pictures. Technology companies, software makers, camera and equipment manufacturers, imaging companies, and online photo services providers are working within I3A to develop a suite of interoperability specifications. Released in February of 2003, the v1.0 specifications enable the transmission of digital pictures and order information between digital cameras, PCs, desktop software, Internet- services, photo kiosks, digital minilabs and photofinishers. To download copies of the v1.0 CPXe Specifications or for more information about the CPXe Initiative, visit www.i3a.org

About the International Imaging Industry Association (I3A)

I3A is the leading global imaging industry association, driving growth of and setting standards for the photographic and information imaging markets. As the industry focal point, I3A offers a framework and environment where members can quickly find resources to solve critical issues and develop market solutions. Members of I3A work together to find common ground for advancing the industry and to enable better products and services for their customers. I3A is the product of the merger of the Digital Imaging Group (DIG) and the Photographic and Imaging Manufacturers Association (PIMA). Information about I3A can be found on the World Wide Web at www.i3a.org.

About Systinet

Systinet provides Web services infrastructure software. Systinet's products make it easy for enterprises and ISVs to build, deploy, secure and manage Web services. The Systinet WASP suite of products is based on industry-standards such as XML, SOAP, WSDL and UDDI. WASP products are available for Java and C++, interoperate seamlessly with other Web services implementations such as Microsoft .NET, and are portable across a wide variety of platforms and servers. With over 29,000 registered users and hundreds of live deployments, Systinet's clients include Amazon.com, Booz Allen Hamilton, Deutsche Telekom, Ericsson, FileNet, Interwoven, JP Morgan, Mercator, and SAIC. Headquartered in Cambridge, MA, Systinet is a privately-held company with over 95 employees. In March 2002, Systinet announced venture funding of $21 million from Warburg Pincus.